Earth Day celebrations will blossom throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area this weekend, featuring abundant opportunities for learning how to better cherish, take care of and advocate for the planet.

Two of the biggest fetes are Earth Day Dallas, which during its inaugural year in 2011 was recognized as the nation’s second- largest Earth Day celebration — with 48,000 attendees, it came in right behind Earth Day New York — and Oak Cliff Earth Day, the sixth-annual all-volunteer event just south of downtown Dallas.

EARTH DAY DALLAS

This year’s two-day festival, April 21-22, moves from the downtown Arts District to the much-bigger environs of Fair Park. It’ll focus on simple choices you can make to improve your family’s health and reduce the cost of living while having a positive impact on the environment. Here are some of the highlights:

Picnic for the Planet: On April 22 (which is officially Earth Day), the Nature Conservancy will host picnics twice an hour, every hour, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. in an attempt to set a world record for the largest simultaneous global picnic. To participate, you just need a two-item snack and a 30-minute window of time. Healthy and organic food options will be available for purchase. This will be one of hundreds of picnics taking place around the world.

Eco Expo: This area will spotlight green initiatives by corporations, small businesses, nonprofit and government groups, hospitals, universities and other entities.

Green Speaker Series: Local and national leaders, including former first lady Laura Bush (April 21 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hall of State), will speak on topics such as community gardens, green transportation and ecological conservation. Bush will talk about her Taking Care of Texas initiative (takingcareoftexas.org).

Artfully Green Film Series: Screenings of environmental films, followed by Q&A’s with producers and others.

Live music: A series of concerts at the Band Shell, along with strolling musicians throughout Fair Park. You’ll find gospel (ReVeal), glam pop-rock (Jessie Frye), blues (Amos Lee), folk-pop (Emily Elbert, Tiger Darrow), new wave-folk (the Honey Brothers, who like to tell people they “formed one dog year ago at ukulele fantasy camp,” and whose members include Adrian Grenier of Entourage fame) and performers representing many other genres.

Family Zone: Music, zoo animals, arts and crafts, short plays and educational demos. Sponsored by Radio Disney.

DFW Truck Farm 5K Fun Run: Proceeds from the race, which will take place early Sunday, will benefit the DFW Truck Farm, which is used to teach kids and the community about growing local foods and gardening in small spaces.

Also: Some Fair Park resident venues such as the Dallas Aquarium, the Museum of Nature & Science, Texas Discovery Gardens, the African American Museum, and the Texas Museum of Automotive History will spotlight Earth Day in their programming.

You’ll also find attractions such as the BMX Stunt Team, tree-climbing demonstrations, theater and dance performances, shows by the Bilge Pumps (“a pirate music group” — I am so there) and much more.

April 21-22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Fair Park, Dallas. See website for full schedule. Leashed pets allowed; please take environmentally friendly waste-disposal bags to clean up after your pet. Free, with concessions and merchandise available for purchase. Some Fair Park venues may charge admission. $10 for parking on-site, or take DART rail’s Green Line to the Fair Park Station. Free bike parking will be available throughout the park. 214-310-1200. earthdaydallas.org.

OAK CLIFF EARTH DAY

This sixth annual event, whose organizers call it the “down to earth Earth Day,” is run entirely by volunteers and expects to draw at least 10,000 visitors to Lake Cliff Park in the Oak Cliff neighborhood south of downtown Dallas. The focus is on raising public awareness about pollution, conservation and recycling.

Here’s some of what you can expect:

Blackland Raptor Center exhibit and performances: The Lucas, Texas-based center is a rehabilitation, conservation and education organization, specializing in helping the public better understand the relationship between birds of prey and healthy ecosystems.

Oak Cliff Mutt Strut: Starting at 2 p.m., with on-site registration the day of the festival (no entry fee). Prizes will be awarded for dogs with costumes and personalities that “best embody the spirit of Earth Day.”

April 22 from noon to 5 p.m. at Lake Cliff Park, corner of Colorado and Zang boulevards, Dallas. Free admission; free parking at Methodist Dallas Medical Center’s Lot 10, with a shuttle from the parking lot to the park. See website for full schedule. oakcliffearthday.org.

OTHER EARTH DAY EVENTS

As the World Dances: The Lone Star Wind Orchestra celebrates Earth Day with a special concert of dance- inspired music, featuring award- winning American composer Carter Pann; he’ll showcase his works including Slalom, inspired by the thrill of downhill skiing.

April 22 at 2:30 p.m. at the Eisemann Center, 2351 Performance Drive, Richardson. $20-$40; $10 for students and senior citizens. 972-744-4650. eisemanncenter.com.

Earth Day at the J: On April 20, explore the “J Naturescape,” and learn about recycling, fitness and more. At 9 a.m., the J group-exercise team will move to the beat of bongo drums at Lewis Fountain Park on-site, and at 10:15 a.m., you can learn about TRX suspension training. At noon, there’ll be a one-hour workout to music. You can also take papers that need shredding (free for first five standard-size business boxes; see website for other fees); the J requests donations of one can of nonperishable food for each box shredded, to be donated to the Jewish Family Service Food Bank. Wear green to show your support for Mother Earth!

April 20 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (shredding till noon) at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center, 7900 Northaven Road, Dallas. See website for full schedule. Free. 214-739-2737. jccdallas.org.

McKinney Avenue Contemporary Exhibit: The MAC’s latest three-artist show, by Billy Hassell, Carol Selter and Daniel-Kayne, is in honor of Earth Day. Hassell’s “Watershed” surveys the state of that elusive natural resource, water; Selter’s “Animal Stories” unites three bodies of work “that utilize taxidermy to contemplate the displacement of wildlife to the actions or inactions of humans”; and Daniel-Kayne’s “Mine … Mine … ” is his response to the notion of claiming ownership over natural resources.

River Legacy Living Science Center: Get creative with recyclables during this Earth Day celebration on April 21. There’ll be animals, story time, demos, guest speakers and more. Family activities will include creating recyclable art projects, making wildflower-seed balls and ecopots, playing “endangered species musical chairs” and more. There’ll also be nature hikes.

Taking Care of Mother Earth Expo: This April 20 event at Grapevine’s Palace Theatre will include an evening screening of the 1951 G-rated sci-film drama The Day the Earth Stood Still, along with a “Litter Free Lunch and Learn,” tips for conserving water at home, educational demos and a tree dedication.

April 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the theater, 300 S. Main St., Grapevine. Free for daytime activities, but space is limited for the “Lunch and Learn” session; make reservations by emailing efine@ grapevinetexasusa.com or calling 817-410-3424. Movie screening at 7:30 p.m.; doors open at 6:30. $5. For more information, 817-410-3100. palace-theatre.com.

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About Joy Tipping

Joy Tipping is an arts writer and copy editor for The Dallas Morning News' Guide section who frequently reviews books and covers
local author appearances. She also occasionally reviews music, theater and movies.